In judging the quality and therefore the value of a horse, cow or other animal, size and physical appearance are important features. An experienced animal judge is able to estimate the size of an animal from casual observation, and, if he has sufficient practice, the estimate normally will be quite accurate with respect to the actual size of the animal. The height of horses has often been measured by the imprecise standard of "hands", the human hand being considered to be four inches wide, and the horse so measured is described as being so many hands high. When horses and other animals of high quality are being judged, whether for sale, awards competition or the like, precise measurements often are desirable. When a precise calculation of the size of an animal in inches or centimeters is required, a measuring tape or stick is often used, and two people are needed to make the measurement, one to hold the stick or tape and another to sight across the animal to the measuring scale. Even when the animal is precisely measured in inches or centimeters, its height may be expressed in the number of hands. The physical features of an animal are generally appraised by a personal evaluation on the part of the judge after carefully observing the animal. The judge will consider various different characteristics such as muscle structure, the prominence and over-prominence of certain features, and the symmetry of development of the animal. To properly evaluate the physical characteristics of the animal, the judge may often position himself at some distance from the animal, so that the overall appearance of the animal can be observed. If the judge desires, at the same time, to have a precise measurement of the size of the animal, he must leave his selected position from which the physical characteristics are appraised, approach the animal, measure it and then return to his judging position for a further appraisal of the same or other animals. When many animals are being judged in one session, the combined procedure of measuring and appraising can be a lengthy process.
Performance of the steps necessary to properly evaluate an animal requires an extensively developed knowledge of the desirable characteristics of the animal and the ability to appraise the individual physical characteristics in addition to the overall appearance of the animal. When the animal judging takes place in a barn, corral or other animal containment facility, it is often difficult to judge all of the animals on an equal basis and to properly evaluate the details of development in each animal. The background against which an animal is observed can effect the evaluation of the animal. For example, movement behind the animal can distract the judge, causing him to miss both beneficial and detrimental animal characteristics which would be recognizable only from concentrated observation of the animal. If each of the animals is not positioned in relatively the same location when the judging takes place, the background behind the animals can cause the animals to be judged on a less than equal basis. For example, if one animal is positioned in front of a stationary or a dark background and another animal is judged in front of a background of moving or light colored objects, the judge can be influenced by one or the other background during his personal evaluation of the animal. In some situations it becomes particularly difficult to properly evaluate the physical characteristics of an animal. If a horse or cow which has primarily dark hair is judged in front of a background which is dark, as for example trees or buildings, often it becomes difficult to follow the lines of the animal's body. Evaluating any animal, either light colored or dark colored, in front of a background of bright blue sky can be particularly difficult in that the judge is often forced to either squint or wear sunglasses, either of which can make the features of the animal more obscure, in which case muscle tone, bone projection and the like may be difficult to observe.
Yet another difficulty which arises in judging and evaluating animals is that to properly judge the animal it is desirable for the animal to remain calm and relatively stationary during much of the evaluation, so that the at-rest posture of the animal can be observed properly. Many times the animal will not be familiar with the judging environment and will be frightened by the judges and/or spectators. This can cause the animal to shift body weight from one leg to another, to prance slightly or to flinch, causing continuous flexion and relaxation of various muscle groups, making it relatively difficult to properly evaluate the animal. When the judge or animal handlers must approach the animal to make measurements as explained earlier, the animal frequently is frightened by their approach and may not stand still even for the measurement.